Overheard a couple at the airport in Lisbon talking about their 3-week trip for under $800

I was waiting for a flight last month and heard two people next to me. They were excited about spending three weeks in Portugal and Spain, and their total cost was less than $800 each. They said the key was staying in small towns just outside the main cities and taking local buses, which were under 5 euros per trip. They also cooked most meals in hostel kitchens and only ate out a few times. It made me rethink always booking a place in the city center. Has anyone else had good luck with staying in nearby smaller towns to save money?

2 comments

2 Comments

davis.dylan1d ago

That's just the travel version of what @laura_white99 said about it feeling like a second job. People will trade huge amounts of time and comfort to save a little money, then burn it on something else without thinking. The budget sounds great until you realize you spent three weeks doing chores.

laura_white991d ago

Wait, so they spent less on three weeks than I do on my monthly car payment? How is that even possible without just eating plain bread the whole time? I guess if you're willing to give up a central location and fancy dinners, you can stretch your money a lot further. But doesn't spending all that time on buses and cooking in a hostel kitchen start to feel like a second job? I admire the hustle, but I'd probably get tired of it after the first week.